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A Self-Deoxidizing Electrolyte Additive Enables Highly Stable Aqueous Zinc Batteries
Rui Sun1,2,3, Daliang Han1,2,3, Changjun Cui1,2,3
1Nanoyang Group, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon and Electrochemical Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 16, 2023
Summary
Dissolved oxygen, not protons, causes zinc battery anode corrosion. A new chemical additive prevents this, enabling long-term, stable battery performance and high efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc (Zn) batteries are promising for energy storage but face anode corrosion and dendrite issues.
- Current understanding attributes Zn anode degradation primarily to proton attack, limiting battery lifespan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary cause of Zn anode corrosion in aqueous electrolytes.
- To develop a novel strategy for mitigating Zn anode degradation and improving battery performance.
Main Methods:
- Investigated Zn anode corrosion mechanisms in aqueous electrolytes.
- Proposed and implemented a chemical self-deoxygenation strategy using sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS).
- Evaluated battery performance through long-term cycling and Coulombic efficiency measurements.
Main Results:
- Confirmed dissolved oxygen (DO) as the principal origin of Zn corrosion and by-product precipitation.
- Demonstrated that AQS effectively scavenges DO, preventing anode degradation.
- Achieved extended cycling stability (2500h at 0.5mA/cm²) and high Coulombic efficiency (99.6%) for Zn anodes.
Conclusions:
- Dissolved oxygen is a critical factor in aqueous Zn battery anode instability.
- Chemical self-deoxygenation using additives like AQS offers a practical solution for enhancing Zn battery durability.
- This work paves the way for the industrialization of high-performance aqueous Zn batteries.
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